Calibration of an aligner station of a processing system

ABSTRACT

A method for calibrating an aligner station of an electronics processing system is provided. A calibration is retrieved, by a first robot arm of a transfer chamber, from a processing chamber connected to the transfer chamber. The calibration object has a target orientation in the processing chamber. The calibration is placed, by the first robot art, in a load lock connected to the transfer chamber. The calibration is retrieved from the load lock by a second robot arm of a factory interface connected to the load lock. The calibration object is placed, by the second robot arm, at an aligner station housed in or connected to the factory interface. The calibration object has a first orientation at the aligner station. A difference is determined between the first orientation at the aligner station and an initial target orientation at the aligner station. The initial target orientation at the aligner station is associated with the target orientation in the processing chamber. A first characteristic error value associated with the processing chamber is determined based on the difference between the first orientation and the initial target orientation. The first characteristic error value is recorded in a storage medium. The aligner station is to use the first characteristic error value for alignment of objects to be placed in the processing chamber.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/888,929, filed Aug. 19, 2019,which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate, in general, to methods andsystems for calibrating an aligner station of an electronics processingsystem.

BACKGROUND

An electronics processing system may include one or more robot arms fortransporting a substrate from a first station of the electronicsprocessing system to a second station of the electronics processingsystem. In electronics processing systems, a substrate or an object isto be moved from the first station and placed at a target orientation atthe second station. Frequently, one or more system errors associatedwith the first station and/or the second station may prevent the robotarm from placing the substrate or the object at the target orientationat the second station. For example, the electronics processing systemmay include an aligner station and a processing chamber, where asubstrate or object may be retrieved from the aligner station by a robotarm for transfer to the processing chamber at a target orientation. Thealigner station and/or the processing chamber may be associated with acharacteristic error resulting from a variety of sources (e.g., thealigner station and/or the processing chamber was not installed properlyduring construction of the processing system, small errors in robot armpositioning and/or orientation, etc.). Accordingly, when the substrateor object is transferred from the aligner station and ultimately to theprocessing chamber, the substrate or object may have a small error inorientation and/or positioning.

SUMMARY

Some of the embodiments described cover a method including retrieving,by a first robot arm of a transfer chamber, a calibration object from aprocessing chamber connected to the transfer chamber. The calibrationobject has a target orientation in the processing chamber. The methodfurther includes placing, by the first robot arm, the calibration objectin a load lock connected to the transfer chamber. The method furtherincludes retrieving the calibration object from the load lock by asecond robot arm of a factory interface connected to the load lock. Themethod further includes placing, by the second robot arm, thecalibration object at an aligner station housed in or connected to thefactory interface. The calibration object has a first orientation at thealigner station. The method further includes determining a differencebetween the first orientation at the aligner station and an initialtarget orientation at the aligner station. The initial targetorientation at the aligner station is associated with the targetorientation in the processing chamber. The method further includesdetermining a characteristic error value associated with the processingchamber based on the difference between the first orientation and theinitial target orientation. The method further includes recording thecharacteristic error value in a storage medium. The aligner station isto use the characteristic error value for alignment of objects to beplaced in the processing chamber.

In some embodiments, a method includes placing a calibration object in aprocessing chamber. The method further includes capturing, by a firstcamera at the processing chamber, a first calibration object imagedepicting the first orientation of the calibration object in theprocessing chamber. The method further includes retrieving, by a firstrobot arm of a transfer chamber connected to the processing chamber, thecalibration object from the processing chamber. The method furtherincludes placing, by the first robot arm, the calibration object in aload lock connected to the transfer chamber. The method further includesretrieving the calibration object from the load lock by a second robotarm of a factory interface connected to the load lock. The methodfurther includes placing, by the second robot arm, the calibrationobject at an aligner station housed in or connected to the factoryinterface. The calibration object has a second orientation at thealigner station. The method further includes determining, based on thesecond orientation and the first orientation depicted in the firstcalibration object image, a characteristic error value associated withthe processing chamber based on the difference between the firstorientation and the initial target orientation. The method furtherincludes recording the characteristic error value in a storage medium.The aligner is to use the characteristic error value for alignment ofobjects to be placed in the processing chamber.

In some embodiments, an electronics processing system includes atransfer chamber including a first robot arm, a set of one or moreprocessing chambers connected to the transfer chamber, a load lockconnected to the transfer chamber, a factory interface connected to theload lock including a second robot arm and an aligner station, and acontroller operatively connected to the first robot arm, the secondrobot arm and the aligner station. The controller is to cause the secondrobot arm to pick up a process kit ring from a storage location andplace the process kit ring at the aligner station. The controller isfurther to determine that the process kit ring is to be placed at afirst processing chamber of a set of processing chambers. The controlleris further to cause the process kit ring to be aligned, at the alignerstation, using a first characteristic error value associated with thefirst processing chamber. The aligner station is to align the processkit ring to a corrected target orientation that is based on an initialtarget orientation as adjusted by the first characteristic error value.The controller is further to cause the second robot arm to pick up thefirst process kit ring from the aligner and place the first process kitring in the load lock. The controller is further to cause the firstrobot arm to pick up the first process kit ring from the load lock andplace the first process kit ring in the first processing chamber. Thefirst process kit ring placed in the processing chamber approximatelyhas a target orientation in the first processing chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example, and not by wayof limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements. It should be noted that differentreferences to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are notnecessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at leastone.

FIG. 1 is a top schematic view of an example electronic processingsystem, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an example first orientation and an exampletarget orientation of an object at a processing chamber, according toaspects of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an example first orientation and an exampleinitial target orientation of an object at an aligner of an electronicsprocessing system, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a calibration of an aligner station of the exampleelectronics processing system, according to aspects of the presentdisclosure

FIG. 5 illustrates another calibration of an aligner station of theexample electronics processing system, according to aspects of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a method for calibrating an aligner station of an electronicprocessing system, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is another method for calibrating an aligner station of anelectronic processing system, according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 8 is another method for calibrating an aligner station of anelectronic processing system, according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments described herein are related to methods and systems forcalibrating an aligner station of an electronic processing system. Acalibration object, such as a calibration ring, a process kit ring or acalibration wafer, is used to determine a characteristic error valueassociated with a processing chamber of the electronics processingsystem. In some embodiments, the calibration object may be placed at theprocessing chamber at a target orientation. A first robot arm of a firstrobot may retrieve the calibration object and place the calibrationobject at a load lock of the electronics processing system. Thecalibration object may be retrieved, by a second robot arm of a secondrobot, from the load lock and placed at a first orientation at analigner station of the electronics processing system. A differencebetween the first orientation and an initial target orientation may bedetermined.

A characteristic error value associated with the processing chamber maybe determined based on the difference between the first orientation andthe initial target orientation. The characteristic error value may bestored at a storage medium. After the characteristic error value isdetermined and stored at the storage medium, an object may be receivedat the aligner station to be processed at the processing chamber. Thecharacteristic error value associated with the processing chamber may beretrieved from the storage medium and the object may be aligned to theinitial target orientation based on the characteristic error value.

In some embodiments, a first camera of the processing chamber maycapture a first calibration object image prior to the calibration objectwhile the calibration object is disposed in the process chamber. Inresponse to the calibration object being placed at the aligner station,a second camera of the aligner station may capture a second calibrationobject image. The first calibration object image and the secondcalibration object image may be processed to determine characteristicerror associated with the process chamber. The characteristic error mayindicate a difference between a target orientation in the processchamber and an actual orientation that objects will have if they arealigned to the initial target orientation at the aligner station.

By calibrating the aligner station using a calibration object asdescribed in embodiments herein prior to placing objects (e.g.,replaceable parts or components of the process chamber such as a processkit ring) in the processing chamber, a likelihood that each object willbe positioned at a target orientation at the processing chamberincreases. By increasing the likelihood that each object will bepositioned at the target orientation, a number of alignment operationsto be performed at the processing chamber is reduced, decreasing overallsystem latency. Additionally, the accuracy of the orientation (e.g.,yaw) of placed objects is dramatically improved over conventionalsystems in embodiments, with an orientation accuracy as high+/−0.00001°. Similarly, by reducing the number of alignment operationsto be performed at the processing chamber, a likelihood that the object,or a robot arm placing the object at the processing chamber, will bedamaged as a result of an incorrect x-axis, y-axis, or yaw-axis motiondecreases. Additionally, the amount of time that it takes to properlyinsert new replaceable parts (e.g., process kit rings) into processingchambers may be reduced in embodiments by ensuring that the parts areinserted at a proper orientation on a first attempt.

FIG. 1 is a top schematic view of an example electronics processingsystem 100, according to one aspect of the disclosure. Electronicsprocessing system 100 may perform one or more processes on a substrate102. Substrate 102 may be any suitably rigid, fixed-dimension, planararticle, such as, e.g., a silicon-containing disc or wafer, a patternedwafer, a glass plate, or the like, suitable for fabricating electronicdevices or circuit components thereon.

Electronics processing system 100 may include a process tool 104 and afactory interface 106 coupled to process tool 104. Process tool 104 mayinclude a housing 108 having a transfer chamber 110 therein. Transferchamber 110 may include one or more processing chambers (also referredto as process chambers) 114, 116, 118 disposed therearound and coupledthereto. Processing chambers 114, 116, 118 may be coupled to transferchamber 110 through respective ports, such as slit valves or the like.

Processing chambers 114, 116, 118 may be adapted to carry out any numberof processes on substrates 102. A same or different substrate processmay take place in each processing chamber 114, 116, 118. A substrateprocess may include atomic layer deposition (ALD), physical vapordeposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etching, annealing,curing, pre-cleaning, metal or metal oxide removal, or the like. In oneexample, a PVD process may be performed in one or both of processchambers 114, an etching process may be performed in one or both ofprocess chambers 116, and an annealing process may be performed in oneor both of process chambers 118. Other processes may be carried out onsubstrates therein. Processing chambers 114, 116, 118 may each include asubstrate support assembly. The substrate support assembly may beconfigured to hold a substrate in place while a substrate process isperformed.

As described above, an etching process may be performed at one or moreprocessing chambers 114, 116, 118. As such, some processing chambers114, 116, 118 (such as etch chambers) may include edge rings (alsoreferred to as process kit rings) 136 that are placed at a surface ofthe substrate support assembly. In some embodiments, the process kitrings may occasionally undergo replacement. While replacement of processkit rings in conventional system includes disassembly of a processingchamber 114, 116, 118 by an operator to replace the process kit ring,electronics processing system 100 may be configured to facilitatereplacement of process kit rings without disassembly of a processingchamber 114, 116, 118 by an operator.

In some embodiments, processing chambers 114, 116, 118 may include atleast one of a heating or a cooling element displaced therein. A heatingelement may be configured to increase a temperature of an interior of aprocessing chamber. A cooling element may be configured to decrease atemperature of the interior of the processing chamber. In someembodiments, the heating element and the cooling element may be the sameelement.

Transfer chamber 110 may also include a transfer chamber robot 112.Transfer chamber robot 112 may include one or multiple arms where eacharm includes one or more end effectors at the end of each arm. The endeffector may be configured to handle particular objects, such as wafers.Alternatively, or additionally, the end effector may be configured tohandle objects such as process kit rings. In some embodiments, transferchamber robot 112 may be a selective compliance assembly robot arm(SCARA) robot, such as a 2 link SCARA robot, a 3 link SCARA robot, a 4link SCARA robot, and so on.

A load lock 120 may also be coupled to housing 108 and transfer chamber110. Load lock 120 may be configured to interface with, and be coupledto, transfer chamber 110 on one side and factory interface 106. Loadlock 120 may have an environmentally-controlled atmosphere that may bechanged from a vacuum environment (wherein substrates may be transferredto and from transfer chamber 110) to an at or near atmospheric-pressureinert-gas environment (wherein substrates may be transferred to and fromfactory interface 106) in some embodiments. In some embodiments, loadlock 120 may be a stacked load lock having a pair of upper interiorchambers and a pair of lower interior chambers that are located atdifferent vertical levels (e.g., one above another). In someembodiments, the pair of upper interior chambers may be configured toreceive processed substrates from transfer chamber 110 for removal fromprocess tool 104, while the pair of lower interior chambers may beconfigured to receive substrates from factory interface 106 forprocessing in process tool 104. In some embodiments, load lock 120 maybe configured to perform a substrate process (e.g., an etch or apre-clean) on one or more substrates 102 received therein.

Factory interface 106 may be any suitable enclosure, such as, e.g., anEquipment Front End Module (EFEM). Factory interface 106 may beconfigured to receive substrates 102 from substrate carriers 122 (e.g.,Front Opening Unified Pods (FOUPs)) docked at various load ports 124 offactory interface 106. A factory interface robot 126 (shown dotted) maybe configured to transfer substrates 102 between substrate carriers(also referred to as containers) 122 and load lock 120. Factoryinterface robot 126 may include one or more robot arms and may be orinclude a SCARA robot. In some embodiments, factory interface robot 126may have more links and/or more degrees of freedom than transfer chamberrobot 112. Factory interface robot 126 may include an end effector on anend of each robot arm. The end effector may be configured to pick up andhandle specific objects, such as wafers. Alternatively, or additionally,the end effector may be configured to handle objects such as process kitrings.

Any conventional robot type may be used for factory interface robot 126.Transfers may be carried out in any order or direction. Factoryinterface 106 may be maintained in, e.g., a slightly positive-pressurenon-reactive gas environment (using, e.g., nitrogen as the non-reactivegas) in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, transfer chamber 110, process chambers 114, 116,and 118, and load lock 120 may be maintained at a vacuum level.Electronics processing system 100 may include one or more vacuum portsthat are coupled to one or more stations of electronics processingsystem 100. For example, first vacuum ports 130 a may couple factoryinterface 106 to load locks 120. Second vacuum ports 130 b may becoupled to load locks 120 and disposed between load locks 120 andtransfer chamber 110.

Electronics processing system 100 may also include a system controller132. System controller 132 may be and/or include a computing device suchas a personal computer, a server computer, a programmable logiccontroller (PLC), a microcontroller, and so on. System controller 132may include one or more processing devices, which may be general-purposeprocessing devices such as a microprocessor, central processing unit(CPU), or the like. More particularly, the processing device may be acomplex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, reducedinstruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, very long instructionword (VLIW) microprocessor, or a processor implementing otherinstruction sets or processors implementing a combination of instructionsets. The processing device may also be one or more special-purposeprocessing devices such as an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signalprocessor (DSP), network processor, or the like. System controller 132may include a data storage device (e.g., one or more disk drives and/orsolid state drives), a main memory, a static memory, a networkinterface, and/or other components. System controller 132 may executeinstructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies and/orembodiments described herein. The instructions may be stored on acomputer readable storage medium, which may include the main memory,static memory, secondary storage and/or processing device (duringexecution of the instructions). System controller 132 may also beconfigured to permit entry and display of data, operating commands, andthe like by a human operator.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates transfer of an edge ring (or otherprocess kit ring) 136 into a processing chamber 114, 116, 118. Accordingto one aspect of the disclosure, an edge ring 136 is removed from asubstrate carrier 122 (e.g., a FOUP) via factory interface robot 126located in the factory interface 106, or alternatively, is loadeddirectly into the factory interface 106. Edge rings are discussedherein, but it should be understood that embodiments described withreference to edge rings also apply to other process kit rings and toother replaceable parts or components of processing chambers other thanprocess kit rings. In some embodiments, system controller 132 maydetermine a transfer recipe for edge ring 136. The transfer recipe mayindicate a transfer path that edge ring 136 is to follow while beingtransported from substrate carrier 122 to a particular processingchamber 114, 116, 118. For example, the transfer recipe may indicatethat edge ring 136 is to be moved from aligner station 128 to aparticular load lock 120 to processing chamber 116.

Electronics processing system 100 may include an aligner station 128.Aligner station 128 may be housed in factory interface 106.Alternatively, aligner station 128 may be coupled to factory interface106. Aligner station 128 may be configured to align edge ring 136 toachieve a target orientation of edge ring 136 at a processing chamber114, 116, or 118. Aligner station 128 may rotate edge ring 136 in apositive or negative yaw-axis direction (e.g., clockwise orcounterclockwise) to achieve an initial target orientation of edge ring136 at aligner station 128. In some embodiments, aligner station 128 maytranslate edge ring 136 in a positive or negative x-axis and/or y-axisdirection to align the edge ring 136 at aligner station 128.

The initial target orientation of edge ring 136 at aligner station 128may nominally correspond with a target orientation of edge ring 136 atprocessing chamber 114, 116, or 118. For example, edge ring 136 mayinclude a flat that is to be aligned with a corresponding flat in asubstrate support assembly around which the edge ring 136 is to beplaced. Failure to accurately place the edge ring 136 at the targetorientation in the processing chamber may result in non-uniformities ingenerated plasma during processing, in uneven wear of the edge ring 136,and/or other problems. In an ideal setup, with no robot position and/orrotation error, no misadjustment of a processing chamber relative to thetransfer chamber, etc., edge rings aligned to the initial targetorientation at the aligner station should be orientated such that theywill ultimately have a target orientation in any processing chamber onceplaced in that process chamber. However, different robot errors mayoccur for placement of edge ring 136 in each of the processing chambers.Additionally, one or more of the processing chambers may have a slightmisalignment or misadjustment. Embodiments described herein provide acalibration procedure that corrects for any such robot errors,misalignments and/or misadjustments, as is described more fully below.

In one embodiment, the factory interface robot 126 positions the edgering 136 at a first orientation at aligner station 128. Systemcontroller 132 may determine, based on the transfer recipe for the edgering 136, an alignment recipe to be performed at aligner station 128 toalign edge ring 136 to a corrected target orientation. The correctedtarget orientation may correspond to an initial target orientation atthe aligner station 128 as adjusted by a characteristic error value(e.g., a characteristic angular error) associated with the transferrecipe. In one embodiment, the characteristic error value is associatedwith a particular processing chamber. In one embodiment, thecharacteristic error value is associated with a particular processingchamber plus a particular load lock chamber. The alignment recipe mayinclude the characteristic error value. In some embodiments, the alignerstation 128 may align the edge ring 136 according to the alignmentrecipe, which may include moving edge ring 136 in at least one apositive or negative x-axis direction, a positive or negative y-axisdirection, or a positive or negative yaw-axis direction to properlyorient the edge ring 136 to the corrected target orientation at thealigner station 128. The alignment recipe may be associated with thetransfer recipe for edge ring 136. In response to aligning edge ring 136at aligner station, factory interface robot 126 may then retrieve theedge ring 136 from the aligner station 128, the retrieved edge ring 136having the corrected target orientation, and place edge ring 136 intoload lock 120 through a vacuum port 130 a with the correctedorientation.

Transfer chamber robot 112 may remove edge ring 136 from load lock 120through second vacuum port 130 b. Transfer chamber robot 112 may moveedge ring 136 into the transfer chamber 110, where edge ring 136 may betransferred to a destination processing chamber 114, 116, 118. The edgering 136 placed in the destination processing chamber 114, 115, 118 mayhave the target orientation in the processing chamber. Had the edge ring136 been oriented to the initial target orientation in the alignerstation 128, then the edge ring would ultimately have had thecharacteristic error when placed at the processing chamber. However,since the edge ring 136 was orientated to the corrected targetorientation in the aligner station (which may include the initial targetorientation minus an angular adjustment corresponding to thecharacteristic error value), the edge ring 136 placed in the processingchamber has the target orientation in the processing chamber.

While not shown for clarity in FIG. 1, transfer of edge ring 136 mayoccur while edge ring 136 is positioned on a carrier or adapter, and theend effectors of the robots may pick up and place the carrier or adapterthat holds edge ring 136. This may enable an end effector that isconfigured for handling of wafers to be used to also handle edge ring136.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an example first orientation 216 and anexample target orientation 218 of an edge ring 210 at a processingchamber, according to aspects of the present disclosure. The processingchamber may correspond to at least one of processing chamber 114, 116,or 118 of electronics processing system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. Insome embodiments, the processing chamber may include a substrate supportassembly 212 configured to support a substrate during a substrateprocess. Edge ring 210 may be configured for placement around thesubstrate support assembly 212. As discussed previously, edge ring 210may be placed by a transfer chamber robot (not shown) at a firstorientation 216 at substrate support assembly 212. In some embodiments,first orientation 216 may include an orientation error 220. Orientationerror 220 may indicate a difference between an angle of a flat 222 ofedge ring 210, relative to an angle of a flat 224 of the substratesupport assembly 212. In embodiments, flat 222 is configured to matewith flat 224. The orientation error 220 may be caused by at least acharacteristic error associated with the processing chamber. Acharacteristic error may result from a variety of sources (e.g., errorin robot angle and/or positioning, the processing chamber not beinginstalled properly during construction of the processing system, etc.)and may be represented by a characteristic error value. In someembodiments, a transfer recipe may include a combination ofcharacteristic error values, which may be summed to determine a totalcharacteristic error associated with placing an edge ring in aprocessing chamber. The characteristic error values may account for, forexample, a first characteristic error associated with a processingchamber and a second characteristic error associated with at leastanother station of the electronics processing system (i.e., load lock120, load port 124, etc.).

As discussed above, orientation error 220 may be determined based on anangle formed between flat 222 and flat 224. In some embodiments, targetorientation 218 in the processing chamber may not include orientationerror 220 (i.e., there is no difference between the angle of flat 222and the angle of flat 224).

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an example initial target orientation 314 andan example corrected target orientation 316 of an edge ring 312 at analigner station 310 of an electronics processing system, according toaspects of the present disclosure. As discussed previously, edge ring312 may ordinarily be aligned by aligner station to an initial targetorientation 314. The edge ring 312 may initially have some angular errorthat may occur during placement of the edge ring in a container (e.g.,FOUP), transport of the container, and/or attachment of the container tothe factory interface. The aligner station may remove such error byaligning the edge ring 312 to the initial target orientation 314. Theinitial target orientation 314 in an example may include a flat of theedge ring 312 aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of an endeffector that picks up the edge ring 312 from the aligner station.

As discussed above, some characteristic error (e.g., angular error) maybe introduced to the edge ring 312 by moving the edge ring from thealigner station to a destination processing chamber. Accordingly, thealigner station 310 may intentionally introduce an inverse of thecharacteristic error into the orientation of the edge ring 312 duringthe alignment process. The initial target orientation as adjusted by thecharacteristic error may correspond to a corrected target orientation316. Accordingly, by introducing the opposite of the characteristicerror to the edge ring during alignment that finally placed edge ring inthe processing chamber will have no characteristic error, as theintentionally introduced error will cancel out the characteristic error.In some embodiments, aligner 310 may rotate edge ring 312 along ayaw-axis 318 to position edge ring 312 at a the corrected targetorientation 316. In some embodiments, aligner 310 may position edge ring312 at corrected target orientation 316 based on an alignment recipestored at a controller, such as system controller 132 described withrespect to FIG. 1.

As discussed above, stored characteristic error values are used duringalignment of edge rings to intentionally introduce orientation error tothe edge rings. Each processing chamber may be associated with its owncharacteristic error value, which may be different from thecharacteristic error values of other processing chambers. Additionally,each load lock may be associated with its own characteristic errorvalue. Accordingly, an edge ring moved to a first processing chamberthrough a first load lock may have a different combined characteristicerror value than an edge ring moved to the first processing chamberthrough a second load lock. In order to determine the characteristicerror values associated with each processing chamber (and/or each loadlock or other station), a calibration procedure may be performed.

FIG. 4 illustrates a calibration of an aligner station 128 of theexample electronics processing system 100, according to aspects of thepresent disclosure. A calibration object 410 may be placed at a targetorientation at a processing chamber 114, 116, 118 of electronicsprocessing system 100. A target orientation in the processing chambermay be an orientation of an object (i.e., calibration object 410,substrate 102, etc.) at processing chamber 114, 116, 118 that meets orexceeds a threshold degree of accuracy (i.e., includes an orientationerror that exceeds a threshold orientation error). For example, thetarget orientation may be an orientation of the object that is within a0.001° of accuracy. In some embodiments, the target orientation in theprocessing chamber may be the same as target orientation 218 describedwith respect to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

In some embodiments, calibration object 410 may be at least one of acalibration ring, a calibration wafer, or a standard edge ring (processkit ring). A calibration ring may be a specially designed ring that isconfigured to fit around a substrate support assembly of the processingchamber 114, 116, 118 such that the calibration ring has a targetorientation at the substrate support assembly to within a target degreeof accuracy (e.g., 0.0001° of accuracy). Similarly, a calibration wafermay be a specially designed process wafer that is configured to fitwithin, on, over, or around the support assembly such that thecalibration wafer has a target orientation at the substrate supportassembly to within the target degree of accuracy or can determine anorientation of the wafer relative to the target orientation to within atarget degree of accuracy. In some embodiments, at least one of thecalibration ring, the edge ring or the calibration wafer is to beplaced, by an operator of the electronics processing system 100, at theprocessing chamber 114, 116, 118 at the target orientation.

In some embodiments, the substrate support assembly may include one ormore coupling components, such as lift pins. The calibration object 410may include one or more coupling receptacles that are configured toengage with the one or more coupling components of the substrate supportassembly. In some embodiments, the one or more coupling receptacles maybe kinematic coupling receptacles. In some embodiments, calibrationobject 410 may be placed at the substrate support assembly in processingchamber 114, 116, 118 by transfer chamber robot 112. Calibration object410, when placed at the substrate support assembly, may have anorientation error, such as orientation error 220 described with respectto FIGS. 2A and 2B. In response to calibration object 410 being placedat the substrate support assembly, each coupling component of thesubstrate support assembly may engage with a corresponding couplingreceptacle. By each coupling component engaging with a correspondingcoupling receptacle, the orientation error associated with calibrationobject 410 may be removed and calibration object 410 may be positionedat the target orientation. In some embodiments, calibration object 410may be a calibration wafer.

In some embodiments, calibration object 410 may be a calibration ringcomposed of a material having a first thermal expansion coefficient andthe substrate support assembly may have a second thermal expansioncoefficient. In some embodiments the second thermal expansioncoefficient of the substrate support assembly may be lower than thefirst thermal expansion coefficient of calibration object 410. In someembodiments, calibration object 410 may be placed at the substratesupport assembly in processing chamber 114, 116, 118 by transfer chamberrobot 112. The calibration ring, when placed at the substrate supportassembly, may have an orientation error, as illustrated by FIG. 2A. Inresponse to calibration object 410 being placed at the substrate supportassembly, an interior of processing chamber 114, 116, 118 may be heated.As a result of the heating of the interior of processing chamber 114,116, 118, calibration object 410 may expand more than the substratesupport assembly, which causes a change in the orientation ofcalibration object 410 that removes the orientation error. The interiorof processing chamber 114, 116, 118 may be cooled, where calibrationobject 410 may have the target orientation after the cooling.

In some embodiments, calibration object 410 may be a process kit ringthat is used during a substrate process at processing chamber 114, 116,118. The process kit ring may be placed at the substrate supportassembly in processing chamber 114, 116, 118 by transfer chamber robot112. The process kit ring, when placed at the substrate supportassembly, may have an orientation error, as discussed with respect toFIGS. 2A and 2B.

After the calibration object 410 is placed at the target orientation atprocessing chamber 114, 116, 118, calibration object 410 may beretrieved, by transfer chamber robot 112, from processing chamber 114,116, 118 and placed in a load lock 120 connected to transfer chamber110. Factory interface robot 126 may retrieve calibration object 410from load lock 120 and place calibration object 410 at aligner station128. Calibration object 410 may be placed at aligner station 128 at afirst orientation. The first orientation may include a characteristicerror associated with the processing chamber. For example, the firstorientation may include an inverse of a characteristic error that wouldbe introduced with an edge ring was aligned to an initial targetorientation at the aligner station 128 and then moved to the processingchamber.

In response to calibration object 410 being placed at aligner station128, a difference between the first orientation and an initial targetorientation at the aligner station may be determined. The initial targetorientation at the aligner may be an orientation of an object (i.e.,calibration object 410, substrate 102) where, in response to the objectbeing transferred from aligner station 128 to a processing chamber 114,116, 118, the object should nominally be placed at a target orientationupon receipt at processing chamber 114, 116, 118. However, thecharacteristic error causes the objects that are oriented to the initialtarget orientation at the aligner station to not have the targetorientation at the processing chamber.

The difference between the first orientation and the initial targetorientation may indicate a first characteristic error value associatedwith processing chamber 114, 116, 118 (or an inverse of thecharacteristic error value associated with the processing chamber 114,116, 118). The characteristic error value may quantify a characteristicorientation error associated with processing chamber 114, 116, 118. Thecharacteristic error value may be recorded in a storage medium (i.e., adata storage device of system controller 132). In some embodiments, thecharacteristic error value may be retrieved from the storage medium andused by system controller 132 for alignment of objects to be placed atprocessing chamber 114, 116, 118 associated with the characteristicerror value, as discussed above.

In addition to determining the characteristic error value associatedwith processing chamber 114, 116, 118, a characteristic error associatedwith one or more stations (i.e., load lock 120, load port 124, etc.) ofthe electronics processing system may be determined. For example,calibration object 410 may aligned to a target orientation in a loadlock, retrieved, by factory interface robot 126, placed at a secondorientation at aligner station 128. A difference between the secondorientation and an initial target orientation may be determined. Thedifference may indicate an orientation error caused by a characteristicerror value of load lock 120. The characteristic error value of the loadlock may be recorded in the storage medium. In some embodiments, thecharacteristic error value previously described and the characteristicerror value of the load lock may be retrieved from the storage mediumand used by system controller 132 for alignment of objects placed atload lock 120 and subsequently placed at processing chamber 114, 116,118. The same (and/or a similar) process may be performed in order todetermine a characteristic error value associated with load port 124. Insome embodiments, a single load lock is used for transfer of edge ringsto processing chambers. Accordingly, in such embodiments thecharacteristic error value associated with a processing chamber may alsoinclude in it any characteristic error value caused by the single loadlock.

In some embodiments, the object may be an edge ring. In response to thecalibration performed for the edge ring at aligner station 128, aninitial corrected target alignment can be determined. One or more robotarms (e.g., factory interface robot 126 and/or transfer chamber robot112) may transfer the edge ring to a destination processing chamber 114,116, 118 and place the edge ring at a target orientation at theprocessing chamber to a high degree of accuracy. In other or similarembodiments, the object may be a process kit ring. The process kit ringmay be retrieved by factory interface robot 126 from a storage location,such as a substrate carrier 122 (e.g., FOUP). The process kit ring maybe placed by factory interface robot 126 at aligner station 128. In someembodiments, it may be determined that the process kit ring is to beplaced at a particular processing chamber 114, 116, 118. For example, itmay be determined that the process kit ring is to be placed atprocessing chamber 116. In additional embodiments, it may be determinedthat the process kit ring, prior to being placed at processing chamber116, is to be placed at a particular load lock 120. In response todetermining that process kit ring is to be placed at processing chamber116 and optionally a particular load lock 120, a first characteristicerror value associated with processing chamber 116 and/or a secondcharacteristic error value associated with load lock 120 may beretrieved from the storage medium. The process kit ring may be aligned,using at least the first characteristic error value and the secondcharacteristic error value, to a corrected target orientation. Thecorrected target orientation may be based on the initial targetorientation as adjusted by at least the first characteristic error valueand/or the second characteristic error value. In response to the processkit ring being aligned to the corrected target orientation, the processkit ring may be retrieved from aligner station 128 and placed at loadlock 120 by factory interface robot 126. The process kit ring may thenbe retrieved from load lock 120 and placed at processing chamber 116 bytransfer chamber robot 112. In some embodiments, the process kit ringmay be placed at processing chamber 116 at a target orientation within adegree of accuracy between approximately 0.1° and 0.0000001°. In someembodiments, the process kit ring may be placed at processing chamber116 at a target orientation within a degree of accuracy betweenapproximately 0.001° and 0.00001°. In some embodiments, the process kitring may be placed at processing chamber 115 at a target orientationwithin a 0.00001° of accuracy.

In some embodiments, a distinct characteristic error value may bedetermined for each processing chamber 114, 116, 118, in accordance withembodiments described above. For example, the first characteristic errorvalue may be associated with processing chamber 116. A thirdcharacteristic error value associated with processing chamber 114 maysimilarly be determined.

FIG. 5 illustrates another calibration of an aligner station 128 of theexample electronics processing system 100, according to aspects of thepresent disclosure. A calibration object 410 may be placed in aprocessing chamber 114, 116, 118 of electronics processing system 100.Calibration object 410 may be a process kit ring, a process wafer, or aprocess kit ring that is used during a substrate process. In someembodiments, calibration object 410 may be placed at a substrate supportassembly of processing chamber 114, 116, 118 by an operator ofelectronics processing system 100. In other embodiments, calibrationobject 410 may be placed at the substrate support assembly by factoryinterface robot 126.

In some embodiments, processing chamber 114, 116, 118 may include afirst camera 510. First camera 510 may be configured to capture one ormore images depicting an orientation of a calibration object placed atthe substrate support assembly of processing chamber 114, 116, 118.First camera 510 may be a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and/or acomplementary metal oxide (CMOS) camera. Alternatively, first camera 510may include an x-ray emitter (e.g., an x-ray laser) and an x-raydetector. In some embodiments, first camera 510 may be a component ofcalibration object 410. For example, the calibration object may be acamera wafer, and the first camera 510 may be a component of the camerawafer. In some embodiments, aligner station 128 may include a secondcamera 520. Second camera 520 may be configured to capture one or moreimages depicting an orientation of an object placed at aligner station128. Second camera 520 may be a charge-coupled device (CCD) cameraand/or a complementary metal oxide (CMOS) camera. Alternatively, firstcamera 510 may include an x-ray emitter (e.g., an x-ray laser) and anx-ray detector. In some embodiments, at least one of processing chamber114, 116, 118 or aligner 128 may be opened in order to install firstcamera 510 or second camera 520, respectively.

First camera 510 may capture a first calibration object image. The firstcalibration object image may depict a first orientation of thecalibration object in processing chamber 114, 116, 118. In response tocapturing the first calibration object image, transfer chamber robot 112may retrieve calibration object 410 from processing chamber 114, 116,118 and place calibration object 410 at load lock 120. In response tocalibration object 410 being placed at load lock 120, calibration object410 may be retrieved from load lock 120 by factory interface robot 126and placed at a second orientation at aligner station 128.

A characteristic error value associated with processing chamber 114,116, 118 may be determined based on the second orientation ofcalibration object 410 at aligner station 128 and the first orientationdepicted in the first calibration object image. The first orientation ofcalibration object 410 may be determined by performing image processingon the first calibration object image. For example, calibration object410 may have a known shape and/or include one or more registrationfeatures (e.g., a flat, a notch, a fiducial, etc.). The image processingmay be performed to determine an orientation of one or more registrationfeatures. In some embodiments, a Hough transform may be performed todetermine the orientation of the one or more registration features.Using the Hough transform and a prior knowledge of a shape of the object(e.g., a flat on the object), the orientation of the flat can bedetermined. Other standard imaging processing techniques may be used todetermine the orientation of the object, such as edge detection, slopecalculation, voting algorithms, the oriented FAST and rotated BRIEF(ORB) image processing technique, and so on.

A first orientation error associated with the first orientation ofcalibration object 410, depicted in the first calibration object image,may be determined. The first orientation error may be determined bycomparing the orientation of the flat determined with respect to thefirst calibration object image with an orientation of a static componentof processing chamber 114, 116, 118, in accordance with embodimentsdescribed with respect to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

In some embodiments, a second calibration object image may be captured,by second camera 320 at aligner station 128, depicting the secondorientation of calibration object 410 at aligner station 128. The secondorientation of calibration object 410 at aligner station 128 may bedetermined by performing image processing on the second calibrationobject image, in accordance with previously described embodiments. Asecond orientation error associated with the second orientation ofcalibration object 410, depicted in the second calibration object image,may be determined, in accordance with previously described embodiments.A difference between the first orientation error and the secondorientation error may be determined. The difference between the firstorientation error and the second orientation error may indicate acharacteristic error value associated with processing chamber 114, 116,118. The characteristic error value may be recorded in a storage medium(i.e., a data storage device of system controller 132 or motioncontroller 134). In some embodiments, the characteristic error value maybe retrieved from the storage medium and used by system controller 132for alignment of objects to be placed at processing chamber 114, 116,118 associated with the characteristic error value.

In some embodiments, first boundary limits of a set of orientations anda set of positions in processing chamber 114, 116, 118 may bedetermined. The first boundary limits may indicate a set of one or moreorientations of an object at processing chamber 114, 116, 118 that meeta target orientation threshold. Calibration object 410 may be placed ateach orientation of the set of orientations and each position of the setof positions. Each orientation of the set of orientations may differfrom a target orientation of calibration object 410 at processingchamber 114, 116, 118, For example, calibration object 410 may be placedat a first orientation at processing chamber 114, 116, 118 where adifference between the first orientation and the target orientation isapproximately 0.01°. Calibration object 410 may also be placed at asecond orientation where a difference between the second orientation andthe target orientation is approximately 0.1°. First camera 510 maycapture a set of calibration object images where each calibration objectimage depicts an orientation of the set of orientations and a positionof the set of positions.

In some embodiments, each calibration object image may be processed inaccordance with previously described embodiments. Based on eachprocessed calibration object image, a set of orientation errors may bedetermined, where each orientation error corresponds with an orientationof a calibration object depicted in an orientation object image. Thefirst boundary limits may be determined based on the set of orientationerrors. The first boundary limits may be used to set an orientationerror threshold. The orientation error threshold may indicate anorientation where an object placed at the orientation in processingchamber 114, 116, 118 is incorrectly positioned.

In response to determining the first boundary limits of the set oforientations and the set of positions in processing chamber 114, 116,118, second boundary limits of a set of orientations and a set ofpositions in aligner station 128 may be determined. The second boundarylimits may indicate a set of orientations of an object at alignerstation 128 that meet an initial target orientation threshold (e.g.,that will cause an edge ring that falls within the second boundarylimits to also fall within the first boundary limits when placed in theprocessing chamber). The second boundary conditions may be determined byrecording a first orientation and/or position (which may be anorientation error and/or position error of zero) of the calibrationobject in the processing chamber using a first calibration object image,placing the calibration object in the aligner station, and recording asecond orientation and/or position of the calibration object at thealigner station using a second calibration object image. Eachorientation and/or position may include a corresponding orientationerror and/or position error. The first boundary conditions relative tothe first orientation and/or position may be known. Accordingly, thesecond boundary conditions may be mapped around the second orientationand/or position based on the known relationships between the firstorientation and/or position and the first boundary conditions.

As used edge rings are removed from processing chambers, they may beplaced into aligner station 128, and an orientation and/or position ofthe used edge rings on the aligner station may be determined. Such anorientation and/or position may then be compared to the second boundaryconditions that were associated with the processing chamber. If theorientation and/or position are outside of the second boundaryconditions, then a determination may be made that the processing chambershould undergo maintenance and/or an error may be generated.

As discussed previously, in some embodiments, first camera 510 may be acomponent of calibration object 410. In such embodiments, first camera510 may capture a first calibration object image depicting a firstorientation of calibration object 410 at processing chamber 114, 116,118, in accordance with previously described embodiments. The firstcalibration object image may be processed in accordance with previouslydescribed embodiments. A first orientation error may be determine basedon the processed first calibration object image. The calibration objectmay be moved to aligner station, and a second calibration object imagemay be captured by first camera 510 at the aligner station. A secondorientation error may be determined based on the processed secondcalibration object image. A difference between the first orientationerror and the second orientation error may be determined. The differencemay correspond to a characteristic error value for the processingchamber.

FIGS. 6-8 are flow diagrams of various embodiments of methods 600-800for calibrating an aligner of an electronics processing system. Themethods are performed by processing logic that may include hardware(circuitry, dedicated logic, etc.), software (such as is run on ageneral purpose computer system or a dedicated machine), firmware, orsome combination thereof. Some methods 600-800 may be performed by acomputing device, such as system controller 132 or motion controller 134of FIG. 1 that is in control of a robot arm.

For simplicity of explanation, the methods are depicted and described asa series of acts. However, acts in accordance with this disclosure canoccur in various orders and/or concurrently, and with other acts notpresented and described herein. Furthermore, not all illustrated actsmay be performed to implement the methods in accordance with thedisclosed subject matter. In addition, those skilled in the art willunderstand and appreciate that the methods could alternatively berepresented as a series of interrelated states via a state diagram orevents.

FIG. 6 is a method 600 for calibrating an aligner of an electronicsprocessing system, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.At block 610, a calibration object may be retrieved, by a first robotarm of a transfer chamber, from a processing chamber connected to thetransfer chamber. The calibration object may have a target orientationin the processing chamber. In some embodiments, the calibration objectmay be at least one of a calibration ring, a calibration wafer, or aprocess kit ring. The calibration object may be placed at the processingchamber in accordance with previously described embodiments. At block620, the calibration object may be placed, by the first robot arm, in aload lock connected to the transfer chamber. At block 630, thecalibration object may be retrieved from the load lock by a second robotarm of a factory interface connected to the load lock.

At block 640, the calibration object may be placed, by the second robotarm, at a first orientation at an aligner station housed in or connectedto the factory interface. At block 650, a difference between the firstorientation at the aligner station and an initial target orientation atthe aligner station may be determined. At block 660, a characteristicerror value associated with the processing chamber may be determined. Atblock 670, the characteristic error value may be recorded in a storagemedium. In response to an object being received at the aligner stationto be placed at the processing chamber, the characteristic error valuemay be received from the storage medium. The aligner station may movethe object to be positioned at the target orientation based on thecharacteristic error value.

FIG. 7 is another method for calibrating an aligner station of aprocessing system, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.At block 710, a calibration object may be placed in a processingchamber. The calibration object may be at least one of a calibrationring, a calibration wafer, or a process kit ring. The calibration objectmay be placed at the processing chamber in accordance with previouslydescribed embodiments. At block 720, a first calibration object imagedepicting the first orientation of the calibration object may becaptured by a first camera in the processing chamber. At block 730, thecalibration object may be retrieved from the processing chamber by afirst robot arm of a transfer chamber connected to the processingchamber. At block 740, the calibration object may be placed, by thefirst robot arm, in a load lock connected to the transfer chamber. Atblock 750, the calibration object may be retrieved from the load lock bya second robot arm of a factory interface connected to the load lock.

At block 760, the calibration object may be placed, by the second robotarm, at a second orientation at an aligner station housed in orconnected to the factory interface. At block 780, a characteristic errorvalue associated with the processing chamber may be determined. Thecharacteristic error value may be determined based on the secondorientation and the first orientation depicted in the first calibrationobject image. At block 790, the characteristic error value may be storedin a storage medium. In response to an object being received at thealigner station to be placed at the processing chamber, thecharacteristic error value may be received from the storage medium. Thealigner station may move the object to be positioned at the targetorientation based on the characteristic error value.

FIG. 8 is a method for placing a process kit ring at a targetorientation at a processing chamber based on a determined characteristicerror value associated with the processing chamber, according toembodiments of the present disclosure. At block 810, a controlleroperatively coupled to a first robot arm, a second robot arm, and analigner station may cause the second robot arm to pick up a firstprocess kit ring from a storage location and place the first process kitring at the aligner station. At block 820, it may be determined that thefirst process kit ring is to be placed in a first processing chamber ofa plurality of processing chambers.

At block 830, the controller may cause the first process kit to bealigned, at the aligner station, using a first characteristic errorvalue. The first characteristic error value may be associated with thefirst processing chamber, in accordance with previously describedembodiments. The aligner station may align the first process kit ring toa corrected target orientation that is based on the initial targetorientation as adjusted by the first characteristic error value.

At block 840, the controller may cause the second robot arm to pick upthe first process kit ring from the aligner station and place the firstprocess kit ring in the load lock. At block 850, the controller maycause the first robot arm to pick up the first process kit ring from theload lock and place the first process kit ring in the first processingchamber. The first process kit ring may be placed in the firstprocessing chamber approximately at a target orientation in the firstprocessing chamber.

The preceding description sets forth numerous specific details such asexamples of specific systems, components, methods, and so forth in orderto provide a good understanding of several embodiments of the presentdisclosure. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art, however, thatat least some embodiments of the present disclosure may be practicedwithout these specific details. In other instances, well-knowncomponents or methods are not described in detail or are presented insimple block diagram format in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuringthe present disclosure. Thus, the specific details set forth are merelyexemplary. Particular implementations may vary from these exemplarydetails and still be contemplated to be within the scope of the presentdisclosure.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the embodiment is includedin at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in oneembodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout thisspecification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.In addition, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” ratherthan an exclusive “or.” When the term “about” or “approximately” is usedherein, this is intended to mean that the nominal value presented isprecise within ±10%.

Although the operations of the methods herein are shown and described ina particular order, the order of operations of each method may bealtered so that certain operations may be performed in an inverse orderso that certain operations may be performed, at least in part,concurrently with other operations. In another embodiment, instructionsor sub-operations of distinct operations may be in an intermittentand/or alternating manner.

It is understood that the above description is intended to beillustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will beapparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding theabove description. The scope of the disclosure should, therefore, bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: retrieving, by a first robotarm of a transfer chamber, a calibration object from a processingchamber connected to the transfer chamber, the calibration object havinga target orientation in the processing chamber; placing, by the firstrobot arm, the calibration object in a load lock connected to thetransfer chamber; retrieving the calibration object from the load lockby a second robot arm of a factory interface connected to the load lock;placing, by the second robot arm, the calibration object at an alignerstation housed in or connected to the factory interface, wherein thecalibration object has a first orientation at the aligner station;determining a difference between the first orientation at the alignerstation and an initial target orientation at the aligner station,wherein the initial target orientation at the aligner station isassociated with the target orientation in the processing chamber;determining a first characteristic error value associated with theprocessing chamber based on the difference between the first orientationand the initial target orientation; and recording the firstcharacteristic error value in a storage medium, wherein the alignerstation is to use the first characteristic error value for alignment ofobjects to be placed in the processing chamber.
 2. The method of claim1, further comprising: retrieving, by the second robot arm, a processkit ring from a storage location; placing, by the second robot arm, theprocess kit ring at the aligner station; determining that the processkit ring is to be placed in the processing chamber; aligning the processkit ring using the first characteristic error value, wherein the alignerstation aligns the process kit ring to a corrected target orientationthat is based on the initial target orientation as adjusted by the firstcharacteristic error value; retrieving the process kit ring from thealigner by the second robot arm; placing the process kit ring in theload lock; retrieving the process kit ring from the load lock by thefirst robot arm; and placing the process kit ring in the processingchamber by the first robot arm, wherein the process kit ring placed inthe processing chamber approximately has the target orientation in theprocessing chamber.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the process kitring placed in the processing chamber has the target orientation in theprocessing chamber to within a 0.00001° of accuracy.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the calibration object is a calibration ring.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein a substrate support of the processing chambercomprises one or more coupling components and the calibration objectcomprises one or more coupling receptacles, the method furthercomprising: prior to retrieving the calibration object from theprocessing chamber, placing the calibration object in the processingchamber by the first robot arm, wherein, responsive to the calibrationobject being placed at the substrate support in the processing chamber,each coupling component engages with a coupling receptacle to cause thecalibration object to be placed at the target orientation.
 6. The methodof claim 5, wherein the calibration object comprises a calibrationwafer, wherein the one or more coupling components comprise one or morelift pins, and wherein the one or more coupling receptacles comprisekinematic coupling receptacles.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein thecalibration object comprises a calibration ring composed of a materialhaving a first thermal expansion coefficient, and wherein a substratesupport of the processing chamber has a second thermal expansioncoefficient that is lower than the first thermal expansion coefficient,the method further comprising: prior to retrieving the calibration ringfrom the processing chamber, placing the calibration ring around thesubstrate support in the processing chamber by the first robot arm,wherein upon placement of the calibration ring in the processingchamber, the calibration ring has an orientation error associated withthe first characteristic error value; and heating an interior of theprocessing chamber, wherein responsive to the heating the calibrationring expands more than the substrate support, causing a change inorientation of the calibration ring that removes the orientation error;and cooling the interior of the processing chamber, wherein thecalibration ring has the target orientation in the processing chamberafter the cooling.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:placing, by the second robot arm, the calibration object in the loadlock; retrieving, by the second robot arm, the calibration object fromthe load lock; placing, by the second robot arm, the calibration objectat the aligner station, wherein the calibration object has a secondorientation at the aligner station; determining a difference between thefirst orientation at the aligner station and the second orientation atthe aligner station; determining a second characteristic error valueassociated with the load lock based on the difference between the firstorientation and the second orientation; and recording the secondcharacteristic error value in the storage medium, wherein the alignerstation is to further use the second characteristic error value foralignment of objects to be placed in the load lock before being placedin the processing chamber.
 9. A method comprising: placing a calibrationobject in a processing chamber; capturing, by a first camera at theprocessing chamber, a first calibration object image depicting a firstorientation of the calibration object in the processing chamber;retrieving, by a first robot arm of a transfer chamber connected to theprocessing chamber, the calibration object from the processing chamber;placing, by the first robot arm, the calibration object in a load lockconnected to the transfer chamber; retrieving the calibration objectfrom the load lock by a second robot arm of a factory interfaceconnected to the load lock; placing, by the second robot arm, thecalibration object at an aligner station housed in or connected to thefactory interface, wherein the calibration object has a secondorientation at the aligner station; determining, based on the secondorientation and the first orientation depicted in the first calibrationobject image, a characteristic error value associated with theprocessing chamber; and recording the characteristic error value in astorage medium, wherein the aligner station is to use the characteristicerror value for alignment of objects to be placed in the processingchamber.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining thecharacteristic error value comprises: capturing, by a second camera atthe aligner station, a second calibration object image depicting thesecond orientation of the calibration object; determining a firstorientation error associated with the first orientation depicted in thefirst calibration object image; determining a second orientation errorassociated with the second orientation depicted in the secondcalibration object image; and determining a difference between the firstorientation error and the second orientation error.
 11. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising: placing the calibration object at aplurality of orientations and a plurality of positions in the processingchamber; capturing, by the first camera, calibration object imagesdepicting each of the plurality of orientations and each of theplurality of positions of the calibration object; determining firstboundary limits of the plurality of orientations and the plurality ofpositions in the processing chamber; and determining second boundarylimits of the plurality of orientations and the plurality of positionsat the aligner station based on the characteristic error value.
 12. Themethod of claim 9, further comprising: retrieving, by the second robotarm, a process kit ring from a storage location; placing, by the secondrobot arm, the process kit ring at the aligner station; determining thatthe process kit ring is to be placed in the processing chamber; aligningthe process kit ring using the characteristic error value, wherein thealigner station aligns the process kit ring to a corrected targetorientation that is based on an initial target orientation as adjustedby the characteristic error value; retrieving the process kit ring fromthe aligner by the second robot arm; placing the process kit ring in theload lock; retrieving the process kit ring from the load lock by thefirst robot arm; and placing the process kit ring in the processingchamber by the first robot arm, wherein the process kit ring placed inthe processing chamber approximately has a target orientation in theprocessing chamber.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first camerais a component of the calibration object.
 14. An electronics processingsystem, comprising: a transfer chamber comprising a first robot arm; aplurality of processing chambers connected to the transfer chamber; aload lock connected to the transfer chamber; a factory interfaceconnected to the load lock, the factory interface comprising a secondrobot arm and an aligner station; and a controller operatively connectedto the first robot arm, the second robot arm and the aligner station,wherein the controller is to: cause the second robot arm to pick up afirst process kit ring from a storage location and place the firstprocess kit ring at the aligner station; determine that the firstprocess kit ring is to be placed in a first processing chamber of theplurality of processing chambers; cause the first process kit ring to bealigned, at the aligner station, using a first characteristic errorvalue associated with the first processing chamber, wherein the alignerstation is to align the first process kit ring to a corrected targetorientation that is based on an initial target orientation as adjustedby the first characteristic error value; cause the second robot arm topick up the first process kit ring from the aligner station and placethe first process kit ring in the load lock; and cause the first robotarm to pick up the first process kit ring from the load lock and placethe first process kit ring in the first processing chamber, wherein thefirst process kit ring placed in the first processing chamberapproximately has a target orientation in the first processing chamber.15. The electronics processing system of claim 14, wherein the firstprocess kit ring placed in the first processing chamber has the targetorientation in the first processing chamber to within a 0.0001° ofaccuracy.
 16. The electronics processing system of claim 14, wherein todetermine the first characteristic error value, the controller is to:cause the first robot arm to pick up a calibration object from the firstprocessing chamber, the calibration object having a target orientationin the first processing chamber, and place the calibration object in theload lock; cause the second robot arm to pick up the calibration objectfrom the load lock and place the calibration object at the alignerstation, wherein the calibration object has a first orientation at thealigner station; determine a difference between the first orientation atthe aligner station and an initial target orientation at the alignerstation, wherein the initial target orientation at the aligner stationis associated with the target orientation in the first processingchamber; determine the first characteristic error value associated withthe first processing chamber based on the difference between the firstorientation and the initial target orientation; and record the firstcharacteristic error value in a storage medium of the controller. 17.The electronics processing system of claim 16, wherein the controller isfurther to: cause the second robot arm to pick up a second process kitring from the storage location and place the second process kit ring atthe aligner station; determine that the second process kit ring is to beplaced in a second processing chamber of the plurality of processingchambers; cause the second process kit ring to be aligned, at thealigner station, using a second characteristic error value associatedwith the second processing chamber, wherein the aligner station is toalign the second process kit ring to a second corrected targetorientation that is based on the initial target orientation as adjustedby the second characteristic error value; cause the second robot arm topick up the second process kit ring from the aligner station and placethe second process kit ring in the load lock; and cause the first robotarm to pick up the second process kit ring from the load lock and placethe second process kit ring in the second processing chamber, whereinthe second process kit ring placed in the second processing chamberapproximately has the target orientation in the second processingchamber.
 18. The electronics processing system of claim 16, wherein asubstrate support of the first processing chamber comprises one or morecoupling components and the calibration object comprises one or morecoupling receptacles, and wherein the controller is further to: causethe first robot arm to place the calibration object in the firstprocessing chamber, wherein, responsive to the calibration object beingplaced at the substrate support in the first processing chamber, eachcoupling component engages with a coupling receptacle to cause thecalibration object to be placed at the target orientation.
 19. Theelectronics processing system of claim 18, wherein the calibrationobject comprises a calibration wafer, wherein the one or more couplingcomponents comprise one or more lift pins, and wherein the one or morecoupling receptacles comprise kinematic coupling receptacles.
 20. Theelectronics processing system of claim 16, wherein the calibrationobject comprises a calibration ring composed of a material having afirst thermal expansion coefficient, and wherein a substrate support ofthe first processing chamber has a second thermal expansion coefficientthat is lower than the first thermal expansion coefficient, and whereinthe controller is further to: prior to retrieving the calibration ringfrom the first processing chamber, cause the first robot arm to placethe calibration ring around the substrate support in the firstprocessing chamber, wherein upon placement of the calibration ring inthe first processing chamber, the calibration ring has an orientationerror associated with the first characteristic error value; and cause aninterior of the first processing chamber to heat, wherein responsive tothe heating, the calibration ring expands more than the substratesupport, causing a change in orientation of the calibration ring thatremoves the orientation error; and causing the interior of the firstprocessing chamber to cool, wherein the calibration ring has the targetorientation in the first processing chamber after the cooling.